Marker



' Oct. 17, 1939. w. H. 'SILVER 2,176,363

I MARKER Filed Dep. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' W. H. SILVER oct. 17, 1939.

MARKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. 8, 1937 Patented Oct..17, 1939 UNITED sTATs PATENT OFFICE Company, Moline, Ill.,

a corporation of Illinois Application December 8, 1937, Serial No. 178,744

9 Claims.

'I'he present invention relates generally to agricultural implements and is specifically concerned with the provision of a marker attachment adapted to be used in conjunction with a lister or like implement of the type shown and described in my co-pending applications, Serial No. 747,261, filed October 8, 1934, and Serial No. 583, filed January 7, 1935, of which applications this is a continuation-impart.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of an improved marker device for attachment to the frame of a tractor mounted ground working implement whereby the marker is removed or attached with the implement. More specifically, it is the object of the present invention to provide a marker attachment which is adapted to be carried on the detachable draft frame of a tractor mounted multi-row lister.

Another object is the provision of a marker comprising a pair of marker arms movably connected to a common support on opposite sides of the tractor and interconnected by link means in such manner that lowering one of the aforesaid arms intov operative position causes the other arm to be raised to inoperative position.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent after a consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a top plan view of a tractor mounted two-row lister with a marker illustrating the principles of the present invention, the supporting tractor being shown in broken lines;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the portion of the implement upon which the marker is carried, showing the near marker arm in raised or inoperative position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modied form of the marker attachment; and

Figure 4 is a View taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3, with the portion of the tractor shown in full lines.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly Figures 1 and 2, the machine there shown comprises a frame 6 made up of two laterally spaced generally longitudinally disposed beam members 'I and 8 which converge forwardly and are bolted together on opposite sides of a bar 9. The rear ends of the beams 1 and 8 are connected together by three transverse members I0, I I, and I2, forming a rigid structure on which are carried two similar lister units I3 and I4. For details of construction and operation of the lister units I3 and I4, reference may be had to my co-pending application, Serial No. 747,261, filed October 8, 1934. As the present invention is not concerned with the listers I3 and I4, it is deemed sufficient to state that each includes a furrow opener I and planting mechanism I6.

The bar 9 is pivotally connected to a hitch member Z0 by means of l a transverse pivot bolt 2| which provides for vertical swinging movement of the frame 6. The hitch -member is, in turn, connected by a vertical pivot bolt 22 to a transl0 verse draft bar 23. The draft bar 23 is supported from the tractor by means of a generally vertically disposed U-shaped supporting member 24. The latter comprises a bracket 25 secured, as by riveting, at its ends to a pair of arms 26 and 21, 15 and the upper ends of these arms are pivotally connected by means of bolts 30 (Figure 2) to the sides of the tractor. The lower ends of the arms 26 and 21 are each pivotally connected by means of a pin 3| to a bifurcated clip 32 which is fixed 20 to the transverse draft bar 23. The draft bar 23 is further connected to the tractor by means of a yielding hitch device comprising a transverse U- shaped bar v33 which is bolted to the under side of the tractor by means of bolts 34. The ends 35 25 and 36 of the bar 34 are,extended downwardly and rearwardly and are connected to a pair of downwardly and rearwardly extending U-shaped brackets 40 and 4I by any suitable means, such as bolts 42. The lower portion of each of said 30 brackets 4D, 4I is perforated to receive a long bolt 43, as best shown in Figure 2, and the rear end of each of these bolts is provided with a bifurcated head which is apertured to receive the pin 3I carried by the arm of the associated bracket 25 85 at that side of the tractor. Thus. the transverse draft bar 23 is supported on the tractor by both the supportingmember 24 and the transverse bar 33,. A guide 44 is connected to the forward end of each bolt 43 and adapted to engage the sides of 40 the brackets 40, 4I, as best shown in Figure 2. Between the guide 44 and the base portion of the associated bracket, is disposed a heavy compression spring 45 which embraces the bolt 43 and serves to oppose any rearward swinging move- 45 ment of the supporting member 26.

For the purpose of securing straight, even and parallel rows when planting, marking means are provided, comprising a pair of markers 50, one on each side of the tractor, which are pivotally supported on the outer ends of the draft bar 23. Each of the marker arms 50 comprises a pair of langularly related bars 5I, 52 which are pivotally connected at their inner ends by pivot bolts 53 to the out-turned ends of a bracket 54. Each II bracket 54 is provided with an inwardly directed tongue 55 which is fixed to the under side of the draft bar 23 and rigidly secured thereto by bolts 55 and 51. The two bars 5|, 52 are xed together in any suitable manner at the point of Junction 60, forming a structure braced against longitudinally directed thrust forces. .The outer end of the bar 5| is bent diagonally forwardly, as at 6|, and apertured to receive a spindle bolt 62 on which is journaled a marker disk 63. The marker arms as thus described, are capable of vertical swinging movement about generally longitudinally extending axes from an operating position in engagement with the ground to an inoperative position.

The marker arms 50 are raised and .lowered by means of cables 64 connected near the outer ends of the bars 5|, and preferably the cables pass over pulleys 65 supported on vertical bracket members 66. The latter are bolted to the tractor frame bybolts 10 and extend `upwardly therefrom. From the pulleys 65, the cables 64 extend rearwardly and are adapted to be engaged in the forked ends 1| of a bracket 12 thatis supported on a vertical steering wheel support post 13 by means of a U-bclt 14.

The purpose in attaching both the forward ends of the frame beams 1 and 8 and the inner ends of the marker arms 50 to the transversedraft bar 23 lies in the fact that when the implement is to be detached from the tractor, the operation of detaching the transverse draft bar itself also serves to detachV the implement frame beams and the markers. To remove the entire implement, the operator has only to remove the bolts 30 and 34 which disconnects the supporting member 21| and transverse bar 33, respectively. The marker cables 64 are disengaged from the forked portions of the bracket 12, and the pulley 65 disconnected from the tractor either'by removing the bolts 10 and disconnecting the bracket members 66 from the tractor, or by disconnecting the pulley from the' bracket member 66 and leaving the latter attached to the tractor frame. The bolts 56 are then removed and the marker arms 50 swung forwardly into a position corresponding .to that indicated in dotted Alines in the upper right hand portion of Figure l. This disposles the marker 50 between the tread lines of the rear Wheels of the tractor so that the tractor may be driven forwardly free of the lister Without having the wheels run over any partof the implement.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a modified form of marker and implement draft connection n which certain of the principles of the present invention have beenV embodied. Referring now to these` drawings, the lister shown comprises a pair of longitudinally extending beams and 8| which are connected together adjacent their forward ends by a brace member 82 and secured thereto by bolts or the like. The rear ends of the beams 80, 8| are connected together by suitable bracing members to form a rigid frame upon which are carried ground working tools and planting mechanism (not shown). The preferred embodiment of the lister structure is shown and described in detail in my co-pending application, Serial No. 583, tiled January 7, 1935, to which reference may be had.

The forward ends of the beams 80 and 8| are connected to a hitch device, indicated generally by the reference numeral 83, comprising a pair of laterally spaced generally fore and aft extending links 84, each link consisting of a pair of straps on the shanks of eye bolts 90 which are passed through aligned apertures. The forward end of each of the links 84 is swlngably connected by means of a transverse pivot bolt 9| to the bifurcated head 92 of a long bolt 93 which forms apart of the resilient draft transmitting mechanism 94. Each of the mechanisms 94 includes a U-shaped bracket 95 which extends forwardly and upwardly and is pivotally connected at its forward end by a pin bolt 96 to a plate |00 which is securely fixed to the frame of the tractor. Each of the long bolts 93 is passed through an aperture in the base-of its associated bracket 95 and is provided at the end thereof with a guide |0| which slidably engages the sides of the bracket 95. A compression spring |02 embraces each bolt 93 between the guide |0| and base portion of the bracket 95 and servesto oppose any rearward movement of the links 84. 'I'he hitch device 83 also includes a generally transversely disposed U-shaped member |03, the arms |04 and |05 ofwhich extend upwardly between the straps and 86 of the links 84 adjacent the front ends thereof, and are pivotally connected thereto by means of eye bolts |06. At their upper ends the arm portions |04 and |05 are pivotally connected to the vsides of the tractor by means of bolts ll0. The

latter also serve to support angle brackets lll which are perforated to receive the upper threaded ends of a pair of downwardly and rearwardly extending links H2, the lower end of each of which is provided with an eye portion I3 through which the shank of the eye bolt is passed. Lock nuts l|4 on either side of the bracket hold the.

end of the link rigidly in place. From the foregoing description it will be seen that the links 84, the U-shaped member |03, and the links ||2 serve `as a triangular draft transmitting member disposed generally transversely of the tractor andv swingable about an axis defined by the bolts H0, such swinging motion being resisted by the compression springs |02.

Disposed on each side of the tractor is a marker comprising a marker support ||5 made up ofa pair of fore and aft spaced, laterally extending members ||6 and ||1 connected together by means of ldiagonal braces |20 and cross braces |2|. At their inner ends Ythe-members l I6 and ||1 are bent rearwardly and journaled in the eyes of the eye bolts 90 and |06. Each of the `marker supports 5 is held in a laterally extending position by means of a link |22 which is pivotally connected to an apertured lug |23 fixed to the center portion of the diagonal members |20, and at their laterally inner ends, the links |22 are bent forwardly and journaled in the eyes of eye bolts |24 which are bolted to the sides of the tractor.

Supported on the outer ends of each of the marker supports |5 for vertical swinging about a generally longitudinal axis, is a marker arm indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral |25, comprising a pair of outwardly converging members |26 and |21 which are joined together and fixed, as by welding, at |30. The inner ends of the members |26 and |21 are provided with rearwardly directedpivot pins |3| which are member |2'lis a bar |33, the end of which is bent diagonally forwardly, as at |34, and apertured to receive a spindle bolt on which is journaled a marking disk |36. Each arm |25 is raised and lowered by means of a cable which is connected to the side of the tractor at |4| and is passed through a pulley |42 connected to the upper end of an arm |43 which is suitably fixed, as by bolts |44, to the marker arm member |26 intermediate its ends and extends at right angles thereto. From the pulley |42, the cable |40 passes througha second pulley |45 supported on the tractor and thence rearwardly toa forked bracket |46 carried on the steering wheel support post |50, with which a knot |5| in the cable |40 is engaged.

The two marker arms |25 are connected to swing together by means of a transverse link |52 which is pivotally connected at its opposite ends to brackets |53 suitably xed to the marker arm members |21. The transverse link |52 is of such length that when one of themarkers is carried in the lowered or ground engaging position,

as shown in the right hand portion of Figure 4 in solid lines, the other marker arm is held up in a near verticaltransport position inclined slightly toward the tractor, as shown in the left hand portion of Figure 4. An intermediate position of the marker arms |25, as illustrated in Figure 4 in broken lines, is secured by pulling the cable |40 of the operatively positioned marker arm rearwardly and engaging a second knot |49 in the forked bracket |46. In this position, the marker arm that was in ground engaging position is arm strike the fence or other objects.

liftedclear of the ground, while the opposite arm is still held up in nearly vertical position but inraised, the connecting link |52 swings the other arm past dead center and downwardly, and the weight of the dropping arm acts to partially counterbalance the weight ofthe rising arm. To hold both marker arms in the raised position, the link |52 is disconnected at one end from the bracket |53 and both marker arms are pulled up by the cables |40 to the position illustrated in solid lines in the left hand portion of Figure 4. The free end of the link |52 is then reengaged with its associated bracket |53 in the aperture |54, which locks both arms in upraised position.

The implement is disconnected from the tractor by removing the pin bolts 96 and bolts H0, disengaging the links |22 from the eye bolts |24, disconnecting the link |52 at one end from the bracket |53, disengaging the marker support members H6, ||1 from the eye bolts 90 and |06,

respectively, and removing the pulleys |42 from the marker arm brackets |43. The marker supports ||5 and all associated linkage may then be pulled to either side out of the way of the tread of the rear wheels, and the tractor driven forwardly free of the implement. Inasmuch as the ends of the marker support members I6 and I1, and the links |22 and |52 are held in place by cotter pins or other quickly removable retaining means, the disconnection of the implement may be done quickly and easily.

While I have described above the preferred structure in which the principles of the present invention have been embodied, it is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the details shown and described herein, and Widely diiierent means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of my invention.

What I claim as my inventionis:

1. For use with a tractor, an implement comprising a ground working tool carrying frame, detachable means for yieldably connecting said frame to said tractor, and marker means carried on said detachable means and movable into ground engaging position spaced laterally of said frame.

. 2. For use with a tractor, a ground working tool carrying frame, detachable draft means mounted on the tractor for fore and aft movement with respect thereto, means vfor yieldingly resisting such movement, and a marker supported on said draft means and movable vertically into operative position.

3. For use with a tractor, an implement comprising a hitch device, means for yieldably connecting said hitch device with the tractor, a ground working tool carrying frame pivotally connected to said hitch device, a marker support mounted on the implement adjacent the point of pivotal connection of said frame with said hitch device, a marker -arm pivotally connected with said support for vertical swinging between operative and inoperative positions, and means for raising and lowering the marker arm.

4. The combination with a tractor, of an implement comprising' a hitch device mounted on the tractor, a ground working tool beam extending longitudinally of the tractor and pivotally connected at its front end to said device for vertical swinging with respect to the tractor, a marker support pivotally connected with said implement adjacent the point of pivotal connection of said beam with said hitch device, a marker arm pivotally connected with said support for vertical swinging, means on the tractor connected with said marker arm for raising and lowering the latter, and means for maintaining said support in a laterally extending position.

5. The combination with a tractor, of an implement comprising a hitch device mounted on the tractor for fore and aft movement with respect to the tractor, means for yieldingly resisting such movement, a ground working tool beam extending longitudinally of the tractor and pivotally connected at its front end to said device for vertical swinging with respect to the tractor, a marker support pivotally connected to said implement adjacent the point of pivotal connection of said beam with said hitch device, a marker arm pivotally connected to said support for vertical swinging, means on the tractor and connected with said marker arm for raising and lowering said marker arm, and means for maintaining said support in a laterally extending position.

6. The` combination with a tractor, of an lmplement comprising a hitch device mounted on the tractor forI fore and aft movement with.

respect to the tractor, means for yieldingly resisting such movement, a ground working tool beam -extending longitudinally of the tractor and pivotally connected at its front end to said device for vertical swinging with respect to the tractor, a marker support pivotally connected to said device,

a marker arm pivotally connected to the outer end of said support for vertical swinging, a connection extending between said support and the tractor for maintaining said support in laterally extended position, and means on the tractor and connected with said marker arm for raising and lowering said marker arm.

7. The combination with a tractor, of an implement comprising a hitch device supported on the tractor, a ground working tool beam extending longitudinally of the tractor and. pivotally connected at its forward end to said device for vertical swinging with respect to the tractor, a pair of markers extending laterally outwardly of the tractor at opposite sides thereof and pivotally connected at fore and aft spaced points with said hitch device, and a link serving to directly connect the marker at one sidel with the marker at the other side and acting against the markerin operating position for holding the opposite marker in its inoperative position.

8. The combination with a tractor, of an implement comprising a hitch device supported on the tractor, a ground working tool beam extending longitudinally of the tractor and pivotally connected at its forward end to said device for vertical swinging with respect to the tractor, a pair of marker arms disposed at eachside of the tractor, means serving to pivotally connect said marker arms with said hitch device to provide for swinging the marker arms vertically into and out of operating position, and a transversely disposed linl` pivotally connected with each of said marker arms. the pivot connections between said link and said arms with respect to the pivot connections between the arms and the tractor being such that the marker arm in operating position serves to hold the opposite marker arm in its inoperative position and vmovement of the marker arm in operating position upwardly a relatively small amount but out of engagement with the ground will not shift the opposite marker arm appreciably towards its operating position.

9. 'Ihe combination with a tractor, of an implement comprising a hitch device disposed beneath the tractor body, means for yieldably connecting said hitch device with the tractor near the forward end thereof, a tool carrying member connected to said hitch device and extending rearwardly therefrom, said tool carrying member having a ground working tool disposed to the rear of the tractor, a pair of markers extending laterally outwardly of the tractor at opposite sides thereof and pivotally connected to said hitch device for vertical swinging, and means serving to directly connect the marker at one side with the marker at the other side and acting against the marker in operating position for holding the opposite marker in inoperative position.

WALTER H. SILVER. 

